Digital marketing insights.

It's no secret that marketers and search optimization pros can be a bit obsessed with Google’s zoo of algorithm updates.

It's one of the very first questions we get, especially from those looking at the monthly subscription fee for HubSpot Marketing software. They are often used to free or low-priced subscription options. Let's take a look at what each means.

You’ve probably noticed a small Lightning Bolt icon that’s been showing up all over the web. You see it in search results and social media posts as well, popping up on smartphones and tablets as a tiny-but-noticeable detail in the content you view.

Google has announced that they'll be penalizing sites that use an interruptive pop-up, especially those that cover a significant amount of content.

Last month, news broke that Microsoft would be buying the social platform LinkedIn for the low, low price of $26.2 billion USD. The announcement has already made its rounds through the business press, with analysts parsing through the price and wondering about the effects on shareholders.

It is common to overlook the social sharing counts on your pages when you’re moving from one domain to another or migrating to HTTPS, particularly on blog posts. Those little numbers beside the icons may seem trivial, but social proof remains a key indicator of reputability and quality.

One of the ways I work to extend the reach of my content is to take popular pieces and share them with my network via LinkedIn Pulse. Many of those self-syndicated pieces have been so well-received, they’ve generated big views and many new leads.

Then you'll want to be aware of two critical decisions you'll need to make.

Given that the Kayak marketing team puts so much faith in the power of social, people are sometimes surprised to find out we think of adverts in social media to be the online equivalent of a playing a country music song at a dance club.

Recently, I earned my 35,000th social media follower.

If you are one of the internet famous set, you might not be impressed those numbers. Although they are significant for me, it’s true that lots of influencers have much bigger networks than I do (and non-influencers have considerably fewer). But, if the size of my following doesn’t blow you away, the kind of engagement I get might.

If you’ve ever traveled on an airplane, you’ve heard the advice to “secure your own mask before attempting to help another passenger.” That’s a simple reminder we should take with ourselves more often.

It is generally a given that a larger number of mobile web users translates into increased social engagement. The notion is incredibly straightforward: when we all have access to Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and other platforms on our phones and tablets, it’s much easier to comment, interact, and follow our favourite connections.

Just a few mornings ago, I was contacted privately by a colleague on Google Plus. Knowing that I create a lot of content, books and articles, he wanted to get my opinion on an unfortunate situation. Namely, that he’d caught a competitor “borrowing” content from his site… and by borrowing, I mean lifting it word-for-word (try the Copyscape Checker).

Ever since Mark Schaefer coined the term “Content Shock,” along with the concept behind it, we’ve been getting steady news of its ever-increasing creep. Can’t get search traffic or engagement on your articles? It must be content shock, so there’s nothing you can do…

To make the most of your marketing efforts for 2016, you'll want to focus your efforts on your very best prospects – the ones who are most likely to do business with you soon, and keep buying from you well into the future. Gain insights into what your prospects are looking for with this free tool from the people at KAYAK.